v. t. [ imp. & p. p. Prohibited; p. pr. & vb. n. Prohibiting. ] [ L. prohibitus, p. p. of prohibere to prohibit; pro before, forth + habere to have, hold. See Habit. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

1. To forbid by authority; to interdict; as, God prohibited Adam from eating of the fruit of a certain tree; we prohibit a person from doing a thing, and also the doing of the thing; as, the law prohibits men from stealing, or it prohibits stealing. [ 1913 Webster ]

☞ Prohibit was formerly followed by to with the infinitive, but is now commonly followed by from with the verbal noun in -ing. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. To hinder; to debar; to prevent; to preclude. [ 1913 Webster ]

Gates of burning adamant,
Barred over us, prohibit all egress. Milton. [ 1913 Webster ]

Syn. -- To forbid; interdict; debar; prevent; hinder. -- Prohibit, Forbid. To forbid is Anglo-Saxon, and is more familiar; to prohibit is Latin, and is more formal or official. A parent forbids his child to be out late at night; he prohibits his intercourse with the profane and vicious. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. One who prohibits or forbids; a forbidder; an interdicter. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ L. prohibitio: cf. F. prohibition. ] 1. The act of prohibiting; a declaration or injunction forbidding some action; interdict. [ 1913 Webster ]

The law of God, in the ten commandments, consists mostly of prohibitions. Tillotson. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. Specifically, the forbidding by law of the sale of alcoholic liquors as beverages. [ 1913 Webster ]

Writ of prohibition (Law), a writ issued by a superior tribunal, directed to an inferior court, commanding the latter to cease from the prosecution of a suit depending before it. Blackstone. [ 1913 Webster ]

☞ By ellipsis, prohibition is used for the writ itself. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. The period of 1920 to 1932 in the United States, during which sale of alcoholic beverages were forbidden by the consitution. [ PJC ]

n. [ 1913 Webster ]

1. One who favors prohibitory duties on foreign goods in commerce; a protectionist. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. One who favors the prohibition of the sale (or of the sale and manufacture) of alcoholic liquors as beverages. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. [ Cf. F. prohibitif. ] That prohibits; prohibitory; as, a tax whose effect is prohibitive. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. [ L. prohibitorius. ] Tending to prohibit, forbid, or exclude; implying prohibition; forbidding; as, a prohibitory law; a prohibitory price. [ 1913 Webster ]

Prohibitory index. (R. C. Ch.) See under Index. [ 1913 Webster ]